Control Global

Embedded intelligence in field instruments isn't new, but more and better knowledge is getting captured in more sophisticated, easier-to-use and better-networked devices.

Maybe it's all those crystal-clear highballs and free-flowing beverages that make level measurement seem conceptually simple to uninformed observers. However, when they sober up and peer into pitch-black tanks and silos with internal structures,…

Q: I came across your “Ask the experts” column at www.controlglobal.com, and I'd like to ask a question I’ve had for quite a while regarding the control of fuel gas to a fired heater.
This particular unit is a natural-draft heater used in a…

Embedded intelligence in field instruments isn't new, but more and better knowledge is getting captured in more sophisticated, easier-to-use and better-networked devices.

Maybe it's all those crystal-clear highballs and free-flowing beverages that make level measurement seem conceptually simple to uninformed observers. However, when they sober up and peer into pitch-black tanks and silos with internal structures,…

Q: I came across your “Ask the experts” column at www.controlglobal.com, and I'd like to ask a question I’ve had for quite a while regarding the control of fuel gas to a fired heater.
This particular unit is a natural-draft heater used in a…

The latest trends, technology and implementations are detailed in this new ebook from the editors of Control.

The latest trends, technology and implementations are detailed in this new ebook from the editors of Control.
Topics covered include:
Taming temperature and pressure
Secrets to good vessel temperature and pH control
Living on the edge with surge…

Control's Monthly Resource Guide brings you the latest online resources on a variety of process control topics.

MULTI-PART WEIGHING
This four-section webpage by Omega Engineering covers "Weighing Applications," "Weighing System Design," "Installation and Calibration" and "Specialized Installations." The whole group is located at…

To keep up with demand for its temperature and analyzer products, Endress+Hauser opened two new manufacturing facilities on May 31, including a more than $8-million, 42,000-square-foot temperature measurement plant at its North American headquarters…

Often, a human wants to fix something, but without understanding cause-and-effect mechanisms or statistical vagaries in a signal, the human tweaking to improve just increases variation

Often, a human wants to fix something, but without understanding cause-and-effect mechanisms or statistical vagaries in a signal, the human tweaking to improve just increases variation. “Tampering” is the term W. Edwards Deming applied to what…

Since its invention, the DCS and its development have focused on increasing power and reducing cost. “Forty years of R&D in control systems has gone into the platform, not the function, but the value lies in the function,” said Peter Martin,…

The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill was spending too much time and money supporting an existing control system. That’s unacceptable for UNC Chapel Hill, which has nearly $1 billion in annual research expenditures, and ranks…

Operation and maintenance organizations shouldn’t assume that they can merely connect our “things” from the last century and reap the benefits.

Following a brief “swoop-down” to quickly remedy some process equipment issues, a plant experienced erratic behavior of a critical valve—critical because it provided surge control for a large compressor. No one was comfortable proceeding with…

The latest trends, technology and implementations are detailed in this new eBook from the editors of Control.

The latest trends, technology and implementations are detailed in this new eBook from the editors of Control.
Topics covered include:
Pressure rising for open, secure systems
Exploring the love/hate relationship with distributed control
Making…

Our readers tell us who they think delivers the best technology in our industry

There's knowledge in our readers. That's why every year we ask our loyal audience to help us determine which automation service providers offer the best products and brands they can rely on to get the best combination of performance, ease of use,…

Basic motor overview
The five-page paper, "AC-powered motors in automation: general purpose, inverter/vector duty and stepper motors," provides a good overview of the main motor types used in many control and automation applications.
Read it here.

There are a lot of misconceptions in the application of automation systems in the process industries. Sometimes these errors in thinking don’t cause much harm because good design practices keep the user out of trouble, but they keep us from the…

Tips and tricks to get valuable information out where it can so some good.

John Rezabek recently discussed how to make more effective use of the infrastructure we likely already have installed, and in particular the investment in positioners (“Can things of yore deliver gold?”). Here are some suggestions on how easy it…

Basic motor overview
The five-page paper, "AC-powered motors in automation: general purpose, inverter/vector duty and stepper motors," provides a good overview of the main motor types used in many control and automation applications.
Read it here.

The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill was spending too much time and money supporting an existing control system. That’s unacceptable for UNC Chapel Hill, which has nearly $1 billion in annual research expenditures, and ranks…

Bonnie Ramey, DuPont senior process control engineer and HMI expert, explores how these standards are critical for improving the performance of operators, enabling them to better do the tasks needed for abnormal conditions, operational states and production objectives.

Greg: The operator is on a moment-to-moment to basis, making sure the process is safe, reliable and productive. It appears to me that the operator interface developed for the original distributed control systems in the 1970s did not improve much for…

Our process plants are not exempt from the forces of chaos, so when the caller ID indicates the plant, we might worry that it brings news of an unexpected trip or an injury to an employee or contractor.

A few years ago, my insurance man asked me, “You’re an engineer, aren’t you?” I was indeed, I said, and he went on to explain that I was eligible for a rate reduction, I just needed to fax him documentation of the degree I’d earned decades…

Our readers tell us who they think delivers the best technology in our industry

There's knowledge in our readers. That's why every year we ask our loyal audience to help us determine which automation service providers offer the best products and brands they can rely on to get the best combination of performance, ease of use,…

Tips and tricks to get valuable information out where it can so some good.

John Rezabek recently discussed how to make more effective use of the infrastructure we likely already have installed, and in particular the investment in positioners (“Can things of yore deliver gold?”). Here are some suggestions on how easy it…

A few worthy, proven technical innovations are making their way into IS solutions and settings.

Some things never change, which means they just change more slowly than we usually notice. One of these tortoises is intrinsic safety (IS) in the process industries, and most control engineers and other folks I know are grateful for its…

Operation and maintenance organizations shouldn’t assume that they can merely connect our “things” from the last century and reap the benefits.

Following a brief “swoop-down” to quickly remedy some process equipment issues, a plant experienced erratic behavior of a critical valve—critical because it provided surge control for a large compressor. No one was comfortable proceeding with…

Material choices affect the design and reliability of wireless connections.

There is obviously more to an enclosure than “just a box with a door” to mount common equipment inside. Unfortunately, like power supplies that we discussed earlier this year, enclosures are often an overlooked element of the engineering design…

In response to Control's questions about field-to-cloud networking for the "Alternate Paths" cover story in the June 2017 issue, two experts provided some thorough and comprehensive responses.

In response to Control's questions about field-to-cloud networking for the "Alternate Paths" cover story in the June 2017 issue, two experts from Red Lion Controls provided some thorough and comprehensive responses. They are Colin Geis, product…

Moving automation engineering off the critical project path starts with accommodating even late changes in instrumentation requirements. Learn more in this new ebook.

Moving automation engineering off the critical project path starts with accommodating even late changes in instrumentation requirements. Learn more in this new ebook.
Topics covered include:
Maximize I/O flexibility
ExxonMobil’s patented…

Be just 33 seconds more productive each hour, and the savings mount quickly.

Rockwell Automation previewed its new, forward-looking App Platform for mobility at this week’s TechED conference in Orlando. While focused first on redefining smartphone use on the plant floor – with the aim of making individual workers more…

As a chemical engineer by training, one aspect of automation that I had to pick up post-graduation was a basic understanding of electrical engineering. Although it wasn't a natural fit for me (my alma mater makes Chem Es take an electrical…

'Every time I read about the convergence of IT and OT, I wonder, are we converging, or does management think it’s all the same because we all use computers and networks?'

In a pivotal scene in the now-ancient, nerd-classic movie Star Wars, self-serving and detached smuggler and fugitive Han Solo makes a U-turn and flies to the aid of idealistic and young Luke Skywalker and his noble quest. Fans are delighted by his…

Tips and tricks to get valuable information out where it can so some good.

John Rezabek recently discussed how to make more effective use of the infrastructure we likely already have installed, and in particular the investment in positioners (“Can things of yore deliver gold?”). Here are some suggestions on how easy it…

Few and surmountable obstacles lie between us and command-perform-verify.

ISA released the ISA-106 “Procedure Automation for Continuous Process Operations” initial Technical Report (TR) defining models and terminology in August 2013, and several manufacturers have implemented their interpretation of this document…

A project’s success often depends more on human dynamics than on good engineering.

Greg: The human aspect of our job is often neglected. One of our newest protégés in the ISA Mentor Program, Luis Navas, is a process control leader at Monsanto. He recently posed a question to me and Hunter Vegas (the cofounder of the Mentor…

Why and how to secure industrial control and safety systems at every conduit.

Cybersecurity is all the rage now with everyone wondering if someone is peeking under their petticoats or will hack their control system and take over their process, a la Stuxnet, leading to a disaster. This is an important issue that requires a…

Company staged a Technology Conference on Aug. 8 that educated several dozen attendees on the latest developments in infrastructure, building automation and cybersecurity.

To help its users, developers and colleagues get a handle on today's fast-digitalizing technologies, Phoenix Contact staged a Technology Conference on Aug. 8 that educated several dozen attendees on the latest developments in infrastructure,…

Recognize aggressive media and know how to specify materials of construction.

Greg: Here we enjoy some war stories on material selection by Hunter Vegas, senior project manager at Wunderlich-Malec Engineering in Greensboro, N.C., a cofounder and key resource of the ISA Mentor Program revitalized by the Nov. 16, 2015, Control…

Our latest guide to web-hosted papers, tutorials, videos and other educational materials shows you how to think outside the box

More than a box
Recent developments described in our "2017 State of Technology Report: Work Stations and Enclosures" include better and more efficient ways to control temperature and humidity, choosing among the leading protection methods for…

Here are excerpts from the November 2007 issue of Andrew Bonds Industrial Automation Insider, a monthly newsletter covering the important industrial automation news and issues as seen from the U.K.

Uncharacteristic Outbreak of Common Sense in Wireless Wars

Last months attempt by Honeywell Process Solutions president Jack Bolick to delay release of the HART 7 specification and with it the WirelessHART standard seems to have concentrated the collective mind of the automation industry wonderfully. Bolicks objection to WirelessHART was, ostensibly, that it was unnecessary, duplicating the provision for communicating with HART devices that will in any case be included in the forthcoming ISA100 standard.

Such duplication, said Bolick, creates confusion and slows innovation. While some have ascribed less noble motives to the Honeywell stand, many clearly agree with the diagnosis, but are coming up with a rather different prescription. Two weeks after going ahead with the release in the face of Bolicks protest, the HART Communications Foundation (HCF) announced that it had entered into an agreement with ISA to collaborate and investigate opportunities to incorporate WirelessHART into the work of the SP100 Committee. Within the agreement is a mutual copyright licensing arrangement which allows ISA100 to evaluate and consider the adoption of WirelessHART and gives HCF access to all ISA100 documents going forward.

The two organizations are also establishing a joint technical committee to assess the degree to which WirelessHART technology meets the ISAs objectives and whether it can be incorporated into what is now being called the ISA100 family of standards, although that term has ominous echoes of the multiple mutually incompatible protocols whose incorporation into IEC 61158 finally resolved the acrimonious battles over fieldbus. Nevertheless HCF executive director Ron Helson welcomed the new spirit of cooperation, adding that, We believe WirelessHART is the right technology for process measurement and control applications and collaboration with ISA for adoption into the proposed ISA 100 standards is the right thing for the industry.

Less than a week later, HCF also announced jointly with the Fieldbus Foundation and Profibus Nutzerorganisation (PNO) the launch of a cooperative project to extend their successful collaboration on the Electronic Device Description Language (EDDL) and develop a specification for a common interface to a wireless gateway. The project will be based on WirelessHART and the emerging SP100.11a standard and will include the development of use cases, requirements and specifications for wireless communication with intelligent field devices.

Users and potential users of wireless technology could be forgiven for asking why the process automation industry has had, once again, to peer into the abyss before this degree of cooperation has emerged. Why, for example, would it not have been possible for the ISA 100 committee in effect to delegate development of HART provision within ISA 100 to HCF from the outset rather than allow the development of the very real possibility that existing users of the worlds 25 million HART devices would have to choose between a WirelessHART protocol from HCF and a rival protocol for HART over wireless from ISA? Nor should they assume that this belated outbreak of common sense is permanent and will lead inexorably to the development of a single, unified standard.

Indeed precedent is hardly encouraging. If there is a happy ending, however, the seeming paradox is that it will be Jack Bolick and his letters that we have to thank. Is that what he intended all along?

Meanwhile, on Another Front

If you thought the agreement announced at Hanover Fair between the FDT Group and the EDDL Cooperation Team (ECT) to develop a common Field Device Integration (FDI) model would mark an end to name-calling and point-scoring between the respective advocates of the two technologies, then think again. Last months FDT Group User Forum in Antwerp heard the preliminary results of a study sponsored by WIB (Werkgroup voor Instrument Beoordeling), the Hague, Netherlands, based international association of automation end users, comparing the functionality of FDT/DTM and eEDDL for the integration of Foundation fieldbus devices. WIB commissioned Shell Global Solutions to perform the tests earlier this year, using a test set up comprising three different DCSs, three stand-alone tools and four field devices, all of which supported DD, eEDDL and DTM in various combinations.

The latest FDT Group newsletter reports that the initial conclusion is that FDT is an intrinsically more powerful technology. While both provide the data accessibility and functionality required to support commissioning of smart Foundation fieldbus devices, FDT/DTM offers extended functionality for both commissioning and maintenance, leading to a recommendation that FDT is the right platform for advanced applications and that users and vendors should not try to stretch the capabilities of eEDDL to perform tasks for which it is not fit but should exploit the opportunities to implement intelligence in DTMs. Quite where that leaves the FDI project is not made clear.

Emerson Steals HPS OneWireless Clothes

Its little more than three months since Honeywell announced its OneWireless solution at its Honeywell User Group (HUG) meeting in Phoenix. OneWireless was, claimed HPS president Jack Bolick, the the only wireless network a plant needs, the implication being that users who were rash enough to adopt other vendors solutions, particularly those based on the then putative WirelessHART protocol, would rapidly find themselves having to manage a plethora of potentially conflicting wireless networks with unspecified, but undoubtedly dire results. While competitors names were scrupulously excluded from such utterances, it doesnt take a genius to work out that the principle target of this approach has been Emerson, which has been selling its HART-based Smart Wireless device networking solution since last autumn in North America and last January in Europe, although in quite what quantities is less than clear.

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